Footwear, such as a sandal, with replaceable upper

ABSTRACT

A footwear, such as a sandal, a clog, a slipper, or the like, comprising a sole assembly ( 1 ) and upper strap ( 2 ) of flexable material extending from one side to other of the sole and connected to the sole by means of quick-release reversible connection ( 3, 4 ).

This application is a 371 application of PCT/IT00/00436 filed Oct. 31,2000.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to footwear, such as sandals,clogs, slippers and the like and more particularly relates to such atype of footwear having replaceable upper.

BACKGROUND ART

The above mentioned types of footwear generally comprise a soleassembly, formed at least by an outsole or bottom and an insole or footbed, and an open upper, made of leather, fabric, plastic or any otherflexible material. The upper may be formed by one or more straps, someof them of adjustable length, to encircle the user's foot, such as in asandal, or by a band transversally extending from one side to the otherof the sole such as in clogs and slippers. The upper is in any casefixedly connected to the sole generally by means of gluing, screws ornails.

Due to this type of connection, which is irreversible or, anyway, hardlydisassemblable by means of suitable tools only, and also for aestheticalreasons related to the color or the shape of the upper, a footwear ofthe above mentioned type is generally purchased to be worn incombination with a well defined type of clothing or even with a specificcloth. As a result, the possibility of use of a single pair of sandalsor clogs may be relatively limited and several pairs of them are neededto match each different cloth.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a footwear such assandal, a clog, a slipper and the like which can be configured to matchthe type of clothing which is worn each time by the user in a simple andeasy way and without the need of any tool.

The above object is reached with the footwear according to the presentinvention the feature of which consists in that the upper means areconnected to the sole by means of quick-release reversible connectionmeans. In this way there is made possible the removal of one upper withcertain features from the sole and the application of another upper withdifferent shape of color characteristic.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be clearer from the following description of anembodiment thereof made as a non-limiting example with reference to theattached drawing in which:

FIG. 1 schematically shows a sandal according to the invention in a planview, provided with only one strap (for sake, of simplicity) having oneend connected to the sole and the other end not connected to better showthe feature of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the front part of the sandal of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a variation of the male member of the connection means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, 1 indicates a sole assembly comprisingan insole 1 a applied to an underlying outsole 1 b and 2 a generic upperin the form of a strap as in use for a sandal, typically consisting of astrip of leather or other flexible material. A male member 3 of areversible connection is fixed to each end of strap 2, while a femalemember 4 is fixed to insole 1 a. More particularly, male member 3comprises a substantially U-bent plate 5 fixed in any known way, e.g. byclamping, to the end of strap 2, and a substantially T-shaped pin 6defining a transverse arm 6 a and extending from plate 5 in asubstantially coplanar way with respect to strap 2. Female member 4consists of substantially U-bent plate 7 engaging with the edge ofinsole in correspondence with a discontinuity of said edge so as todefine a housing 9 accessible through a transverse slot 8 formed inplate 7. The width of slot 8 is sufficient to allow the passage of pin6, while the depth of the housing delimited by plate 7 is at least equalto the length of transverse arm 6 a of pin 6.

An equal male connection member is provided at the other end of strap 2,while an equal female connection member is correspondingly provided atthe other side of insole 1.

In order to connect strap 2 to insole 1 a, it is sufficient to axiallytwist strap 2 about 90° to align transverse arm 6 a of pin 6 of malemember 3 to slot 8 of female member 4 and engage arm 6 a within thehousing 9 delimited by plate 7.

Once arm 6 a is fully inserted in said housing, an inverse 90° rotationof pin 6 put strap 2 back in its natural, untwisted position and arm 6 ain a perpendicular position with respect to slot 8, whereby pin 6 abutsagainst the walls of the housing delimited by plate 7 and cannot escapetherefrom.

The stability of the connection between strap 2 and insole 1 is ensuredby the fact that, once that the sandal is worn, the foot exerts on strap2 essentially tractive forces which are discharged on plate 7 bytransverse arm 6 a of pin 6. In this way, there is almost no risk thatarm 6 a could be put into alignment with slot 8 and thus escape fromhousing 9. The replacement of strap 2 with another one of differentcharacteristics is equally simple, to that end being sufficient torotate the end of strap 2, and the pin integral therewith, of an angleof about 90° to allow arm 6 a to be disengaged from slot 8.

In a possible variation of the invention shown in FIG. 3 pin 6 canextend from a bracket 10 through a hole 11 formed in strap 2 the end ofwhich is folded over bracket 10. In this way the visible metallic partsare minimized.

It is to be understood that, even in the present description only onestrap 2 and relevant reversible connection means 3, 4 have been shown,the complete sandal will comprise other straps, namely at least an heelstrap which may be provided with a buckle, and possibly other strapsextending transversally with reversible connection means at the endthereof and at corresponding side points of insole 1 a.

Furthermore, even in the present description the female connectionmember 4 has been foreseen to be fixed to insole 1 a to make theconstruction easier, it is clear that, for example in the case in whichthe use of a sufficiently thick insole is not provided for, the femaleconnection member can be directly mounted on outsole 1 b, for example,recessed in the body thereof, only slot 8 being visible in this way.

Even if in the above description reference has been made to a sandal, itis clear that the same reversible connection means can be also appliedto similar footwear, such as, in particular, a clog or a slipper, inwhich the upper is in the form of strips or a band of leather or otherflexible material, wherein the substitution of the upper may beadvantageous.

It is also clear that the relative position of the male and femalemembers of the reversible connection can be inverted by providing malemember 3 connected to insole 1 a or to the underlying outsole 1 b andthe female member 4 to strap 2.

The invention also provides for an insole suitable to by fixed to anoutsole for manufacturing a footwear with replaceable upper, the insolebeing provided with male/female members of a quick-release, reversibleconnection, the respective female/male members of the same connectionbeing provided at the ends of the upper. By providing an insole alreadyprovided with members of the reversible connection the manufacturing ofthe footwear is performed at a lower production cost.

Even if the above described embodiment of the invention is consideredthe preferred one, the invention is not limited to it and encompassesany variation thereof. For example equivalent quick-release, reversibleconnection means, such as snap fasteners, velcro® elements and the likecan be used as alternatives. All the above variations and modificationsmust be considered as comprised within the scope of the invention as setforth in the attached claims.

1. A footwear comprising a sole assembly (1) and an upper means (2) offlexible material extending from one side to the other one of said soleassembly wherein said upper means are connected to said sole assemblythrough quick release reversible connection means (3, 4), comprising amale member (3) formed by a substantially T-shaped pin (6) and a femalemember (4) extending coplanarly to said sole assembly and formed by ahousing (9) accessible through a transverse slot (8) through which saidpin can be passed to be releasably anchored within said housing, theT-shaped pin comprising a leg connected at a first end to the uppermeans and a transverse arm connected at a second end of the legperpendicular to the leg and coplanar with respect to the upper means.2. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the housing (9)constituting said female member (4) is formed by a plate (7) bent in asubstantially U-shape on which said slot (8) is formed.
 3. The footwearaccording to claim 1, wherein said housing (9) constituting said femalemember (4) is formed in said sole (1) and said male member (3) is fixedto the end of said upper means (2).
 4. The footwear according to claim3, wherein said sole assembly (1) comprises an outsole (1 b) and aninsole (1 a) fixed on one face of said outsole and said plate bent in asubstantially U-shape is fixed to the edge of said insole (1 a).
 5. Aninsole (1 a) for footwear, said footwear including upper means (2)intended for being fixed to an outsole (1 b) of said footwear, saidinsole comprising at least one member of a pair of quick releasereversible connection means being provided at each of two symmetricallyopposed sides of the insole and adapted to be connected to a secondmember of said quick release reversible connection means provided at thecorresponding ends of said upper means, said reversible connection meanscomprising a male member (3) formed by a substantially T-shaped pin (6)and a female member (4) extending coplanarly to said sole assembly andformed by a housing (9) accessible through a transverse slot (8) throughwhich said pin (6) can be passed to be releasably anchored within it,the T-shaped pin comprising a leg connected at a first end to the uppermeans and a transverse arm connected at a second end of the legperpendicular to the leg and coplanar with respect to the upper means.6. The insole according to claim 5, in which said housing (9)constituting the female member (4) is formed by a plate (7) bent in asubstantially U-shape on which said slot (8) is formed.
 7. The insoleaccording to claim 6, wherein said plate constituting said female memberis applied to said insole and said male member is coplanarly fixed atthe end of said upper means.
 8. The insole according to claim 5, whereinsaid female member is applied to said insole.